Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-06-24
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
An Attempt Upon His Life In 1864 The
Kihnnping Conspiracy.

kidnapping Conspiracy.
Il am reading with a great deal OF inter.
est Nicolay and Hays life of Lincoln, +"
aid Mr. John w Nichols eX-President of
The Omaha Fire Department, 10 Wheel
ing CIV. Va, correspondent. The chap
ters that will most interest me will be
those relating to his career from 1862 to
1865 and particularly the history of the
assassination. II is not generally known
that more than one attempt upon Lincoln's
life was made in Washington, but such is
the fact.
Mr.. Nichols statement interested me
somewhat and | asked him to explain
He then went on and told me substantially
the following story In August, 1862,
Company X, One Hundred and Fifth
Pennsylvania Volunteers, of which Mr.
Nichols was a member, was detailed as
body guard of President Lincoln. Up TO
1864 owing TO the vigilance of the guards,
Mr.. Lincoln escaped all attempts at vio-
lcnce. The back of the Confcdcracy was
broken, good feeling pcrvadcd all Wash
ington, and vigilance was considerably re-
laXed 1t was then conspiracies were
hatched and COnfcdcratcs ran the city UNI
molested. The President and his family
spent the Summer months at the Soldiers
Home about three miles north of the city,
whittier the body guard accompanied
them. Ii was the custom Of the President
to remain late at the War Department, and
after his work was concluded he would
ride on horseback 10 the Home. That
Summer he had pcrsistcntly refused an
escort, imagining himself perfectly Sc
cure.
one night about the middle Of August
Mr., Nichols was doing sentinel duty at the
large gate to the grounds of the home.
About II o'clock he heard a rifle shot, and
shortly afterward Mr.. Lincoln dashed up
to the gate on horseback The President
was bareheaded, and as he dismounted he
said referring TO the horse: "He came
pretty near getting away with me, didn't
hey He got the bit in his teeth before l
could draw the rein. Mr. Nichols asked
him where his hat was, and he replied that
somebody hau fired a gun off at the foot
OF the hill, and that his horse had become
scared and jcrkcd his hat or
Thinking the affair rather strange" said
Mr.. Nichols. "a corporal and myself went
down the hill 10 make an investigation
Ut the intersection of the driveway and
main road we found the Presidents hat
"A plain silk one-and upon examining it
we discovered a bullet hole through the
crown. The shot had been fired upward.
and II was evident that the person who had
fired the shot had scCvclcd himself close by
the roadside. The next day gave Mr..
Lincoln his hat and called his attention to
the bullct-hole. He remarked rather I'M
concerncdly that it was put there by some
foolish gunner and WAS not intended for
hlm. lie said. however, that he wanted
the matter kept quiet and admonishcd us
10 ny nothing about il. We felt confident
Chat ID Wa, aD attempt 10 Kill him, and
Wei-nigh successful one too The affair
was, of course, kept quiet in compliance
with the Presidents request. After that
the President never rode alone
Mr. Nichols then went on 10 relate the
circumstances of kidnapping conspiracy
which was attempted to be carried out next
iall. This plan was unknowingly frus.
trated by the body guard whose quarters
were Immediately in front of the south
porch of the Executive Mansion, cqui-dis-
tant between that building and the Treas.
ury, State, War and Navy Departments.
just 10 the east of the quarters was the
guard tent, where "a portion of the guard
remained on duty FoI reasons then un.
known 10 the guard the tent was moved TO
the west end OF the gravel walk, in the
rear OF the War / epartmcnt. Shortly
aitcrWard II was lear. ri by the guard that
the very night the tent was moved a plan
had been lald 10 capture the President as
he should pass along the walk and carry
HIM to the house OF ne Green. a notorious
Rebel, on the bank Of the Potomac back
OF the White House grounds. and thence.
when the opportunity offered, he was TO.
be carried to Richmond and held as a hos.
tags. Ii was always believed that the
guard tent to the west end of the walk
frightened the conspirators and thwarted
their design.
\ Inr L, r.. Al.
cldcnt, BOurke, the veteran cOachnan.
VITO had served through two administra.
tons at the White House. was taken sick.
a stranger from Baltimore applied for the
place and succeeded in securing it in the
absence OF BOurkc lie did not hold the
place very long, however. rs he became
so domlneerlng and important that he
was intolerablc. BOurke was reinstated.
One night, not long after he had been dis
mi sed, the discharged coachman was dis.
covered sncaking about the stable. which
was soon observed 10 be on fire. The
whole guard was called out. and by great
cXertiOns saved the Presidential coach and
team, but Tad Lincoln's pony and Col.
lays carriage team persisted. Ii was be-
lievcd that a plan had been formed for
this man 10 fire tie stables, and during
the excitement COnspiratOrs were To rush
into the White House and murder the
President. Mr.. Lincoln, however. rushed
out with the the rest to the scene of the
fire, and thus frustrated any attempt at
assassination wv hat made this appear
more evident said Mr. Nichols. was
the fact that after the incendiary was
arrested he produced several witnesses who
were employed at Ford's theater. and who
testified that he Che discharged coachman)
was down in the city during the whole
evening on which the fire occurred. These
were the persons who in my opinion. laid
the final conspiracy that brought Abraham
Lincoln 10 his grave
Raising Cocoanuts In F1orid,